


Dreaming of Electric Rabbits

by End_Transmission



Series: Family's What You Make It [5]
Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: Child!Reluctant Follower, Ficlet Collection, Good!Glitchtrap, One Shot Collection
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-07
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 20,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22600228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/End_Transmission/pseuds/End_Transmission
Summary: A series of ficlets and one-shots chronicling the adventures of one Vanessa Afton and her oversize plush rabbit friend.
Relationships: Animatronics & Reluctant Follower (Five Nights at Freddy's), Glitchtrap & Reluctant Follower (Five Nights at Freddy's), Michael Afton & Reluctant Follower, Reluctant Follower & Fritz Smith
Series: Family's What You Make It [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1518800
Comments: 39
Kudos: 149





	1. Companion

**Author's Note:**

> This series of ficlets will be more or less based in the "Family's What You Make It" universe, using themes such as: Vanessa Afton, adopted daughter of Michael Afton; Friendly animatronics (Originals, Spring Bonnie, and Funtimes); Michael Afton as current owner of a Freddy's location called "The Fazbear Family Arcade;" Fritz Smith being 'Eggs' and Mike's friend; and other small things like that. Having read the series is not necessary - and most (if not all) of these will take place as an alternate reality to 'Family Hutch,' including a family-friendly Malhare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This first chapter was featured in my other one-shot collection "Family Pieces." But since it has the same theme, I wanted to use it as the first chapter to this collection. More to come very, very soon. :)

Malhare had been alone for a very, very long time. He wasn't sure exactly how he'd come to  _ be _ \- he wasn't human, he wasn't entirely virus, and he wasn't entirely ghost. There were memories that poked at the very inside of his mind, memories of a human life once before, but they were far removed from him. He wasn't those memories, he wasn't even the human those memories belonged to. He was more of an echo, something born from the remnants of that human's soul, years ago. When he'd first come to be, he'd been part of a computer program. That had been a special hell, and he'd eventually managed to figure out a way to escape, but in the end had been tricked by those he roped in to help him. Instead of ending up inside a human - the preferred vessel - he'd ended up trapped inside of a plush rabbit. 

The irony of this was not lost on him, given his form had  _ always  _ been that of a rabbit.

The people who'd trapped him had intended to burn him, at first. But Malhare had managed to get through to  _ one  _ of them before it was too late. Not enough to control their actions entirely, but he was able to convince them to get his plush body to safety. And they had. Although he'd ended up on a shelf in a second-hand goods shop. It must be, he had to assume, in an area in the middle of nowhere. The shop very rarely had patrons. Sure, a kid or two had picked him up once or twice, but they always seemed far more interested in the giant stuffed tigers or smaller stuffed cats and dogs. He wondered if he gave off some sort of aura that made people avoid him. 

It was a perfectly average, incredibly boring day when it finally happened. Malhare was hanging out on his shelf, staring out the window opposite him - as he did daily - when there was a sudden squeal of excitement very close to him. Malhare looked down, as much as he was able, and spotted a young girl peering up at his shelf. Big, brown eyes peered up at him, and she pointed at him with an excited grin. 

"Daddy, look!" She said, "it looks like Spring Bonnie!" After a second, a man came up to stand behind the little girl. Malhare looked up, meeting the eyes of an average human man - who tickled something in those pesky memories back in Malhare's mind. Malhare ignored that feeling - he could spend hours trying to force the memories forward and get nothing for his effort. They weren't even really his, anyway. 

"Huh, it does look like Spring, doesn't it?" The man asked. Malhare mentally huffed when he was suddenly picked up. The man turned him this way and that - which made Malhare dizzy, especially when he was turned completely upside down. "I think someone might have made this themselves, though," the man continued, "he doesn't quite look like our plushies, does he?" 

"Can I see?" The girl asked, and the man handed Malhare down to her without argument. She peered closely at the stuffed rabbit, but at least kept him level, which Malhare appreciated. "I like him anyway," she decided after a moment, "he's cute! Can I have him?" 

If Malhare had a more physical form, his ears would have perked at that. Had he finally found a way out of this hellhole of a store? The two humans seemed to get along well, surely the father wouldn't deny the girl this one treat? To Malhare's dismay, though, the man didn't respond right away. Instead, he took Malhare back from his daughter and studied the plush again. Malhare did his best to be perfectly still - he knew that his form could get a bit  _ unnatural  _ if he got too angry or excited. 

"Okay," the man agreed, handing the plush back to his daughter, "but that's the only one today, okay? We can hardly see your bed as it is!" 

The little girl giggled and crushed the plush close to her, causing Malhare to grunt softly at the mistreatment. "Okay, deal!" She exclaimed. The man smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair lightly, before leading her away. They walked through the store for awhile more, the man picking out a few items for himself. Eventually, though, they left, and Malhare did his best not to hum with excitement. 

He was finally free. 

* * *

The little girl's name was Vanessa - though most of the people she saw on a daily basis just called her 'Ness.' And as it turned out, it was no accident that she'd been so drawn to him. Vanessa was basically heiress apparent to the entire Fazbear Entertainment company, and her father owned his own franchise. Which included, Malhare soon learned, actual sentient animatronics who treated the two humans like  _ family.  _ It seemed the world still held plenty of wonders, after all. Malhare didn't put much stock in the vague memories he carried, but he  _ knew  _ Fazbear's. The company and its history were practically embedded into his code, after all. Could it really be a coincidence then, he wondered, that the child who'd finally freed him was connected to Fazbear's too? 

Vanessa didn't think about those things, so much. To her, the plush Malhare inhabited was her new best friend. She carried him everywhere - which was exceedingly wonderful, giving him a chance to see everything - and even snuggled with him in her sleep. He didn't mind that so much either, although the kid did tend to drool on occasion. Still, it was worth it, for all the rest. Even when she dubbed him with the name 'Hopper,' which was almost insulting - and certainly would have been, if she weren't only seven years old. 

Malhare held no ill-will towards the girl or her family, especially given that they were his ticket to freedom. Still, when he realized he was close enough with the child to siphon off a bit of consciousness for his own gain - well, that was a temptation he couldn't ignore. But he kept it mild. He didn't hurt her, besides a bit of a headache for a day or two, and stopped when he got what he wanted. With just enough, he could escape the plush on occasion and move around of his own accord. He couldn't go far from the toy, given it was the core of his being, but he could walk through, and even just outside, the house without problem. It would have to be enough, for the moment. 

Unfortunately, it also came with a side-effect he didn't expect. One night, he floated away from the plush to go and sit by the windowsill and watch the outside world. He was humming softly to himself, minding his own business, when a quiet voice spoke up. 

"W-who are you?" Vanessa asked. Thinking there might be someone breaking into the girl's room, Malhare whipped around - only to see her staring right at  _ him.  _ Curious, he stood and stepped away from the window and, sure enough, her gaze followed him. 

"You can see me?" Malhare asked. Instead of answering, Vanessa's eyes went wide and she started to open her mouth. "Wait, wait!" Malhare said, holding his hands out. His command made her pause, still looking terrified and uncertain. "Don't yell, okay? It's okay! I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm -" he paused, hesitated, then cringed slightly as he continued, "Ness, it's me. Hopper! Your best friend, remember?" 

"Hopper?" Vanessa asked, picking up the plush in question. She looked between it and Malhare, clearly not buying it. Malhare nodded eagerly, desperate for her to believe him. He didn't know why she could see him, but he could only assume it had to do with their small exchange of consciousness. Which meant no one else would be likely to see him. Malhare still didn't want her calling out for her dad and telling him, though. The man - Mike, Malhare had learned - was exceedingly careful and protective where Vanessa was concerned. If she told him she was seeing strange bunny-men, he'd probably end up throwing Malhare's plush form in the fire, just to be safe. 

"Yeah!" Malhare said, "it's just me. Sorry, Nessie, I didn't mean to spook you!" He hopped in place, once, glad to see it lighten Vanessa's suspicion, even if just a bit. 

"You're just a toy," Vanessa said, holding the plush up as if it were proof, "I'm a big girl now, I know toys aren't real."

"Most toys aren't," Malhare answered, "that's true! Very smart. But I'm a special toy, Nessie! See, we're best friends. And because you were so nice to me, I was able to come to life. Isn't that neat?" 

"Prove it," She demanded suddenly. Malhare paused in place, tilting his head - the audacity! 

"Huh?" 

"Prove it," she repeated, gesturing with the plush rabbit at him, "you gotta show me you're really Hopper, or I'm gonna call my dad." Was the kid actually  _ blackmailing  _ him? Malhare huffed, trying to show her how little he appreciated that. But, fine, if she needed proof, he'd give her proof. He flourished his arms to the side, then returned his full consciousness to the plush. Once there, he let his annoyance shine through. He saw the green tint of his digital aura shine on Vanessa's face. He let his eyes light - filling the plush's eyes with a vibrant purple shine. 

"You see?" He asked, and Vanessa gasped at the plush in her hands. So she could hear him like this, too. That was important to know. "I'm Hopper. Do you believe me now? I know it's a little scary," He acquiesced, realizing taunting or teasing the girl would get him nowhere, "but you don't have to be afraid of me. I'm still your best friend - and thanks to you, I'm alive!" 

"Wow," Vanessa breathed. She didn't say anything else for a long minute, and Malhare waited in tense silence. He couldn't really  _ do  _ anything if she decided to call her father after all, all he could do was hope she didn't. "Are we really best friends?" She asked, finally, and Malhare knew he could relax. 

"Of course!" He answered eagerly, "we're best friends, forever." Vanessa watched him for a moment longer, then smiled - the expression genuine and soft. Inexplicably, Malhare felt himself relax even more. "There's something really important you have to do, though," He continued. Vanessa tensed again, and he knew he had to tread carefully - with a father like hers, she was no doubt well warned about secrets. "I'm magic, Ness," Malhare continued, "and magic has rules, okay? The biggest rule is you can't tell anyone about me."

"I'm supposed to tell daddy everything," she immediately argued. Just as Malhare expected. 

"And that's good," He agreed, "you  _ should _ tell him everything, especially if someone could get hurt. But this is special, Nessie. No one's going to get hurt - but if you tell him, I'll have to go away forever!" He left it there - let her draw the important conclusions. She was quiet again, biting at her lip so hard Malhare was sure she'd make herself bleed. 

"If you hurt anyone, I'll have to tell," Vanessa finally said. That, Malhare decided, was probably fair. And he could work with it. After all, he truly didn't intend  _ to  _ hurt anyone - least of all Vanessa or her family. He was more free now, than ever. If he hurt any of them, he'd probably end up back on a shelf forever. If he were lucky enough to escape the flames a second time. 

"Sure," Malhare agreed easily, "of course! But you have my promise, I won't hurt anyone." Vanessa nodded, then set the plush down on the bed. 

"Pinky promise?" She asked, holding out her pinky as an offering. With a genuine chuckle, Malhare materialized in front of her and crossed her pinky with his own. 

"Pinky promise," He agreed. 

* * *

Vanessa took to Malhare’s companionship like a fish to water. She might have been somewhat afraid of him that first night, but after that she accepted his presence without problem. He’d been concerned, at first, that she’d accidentally let their secret slip - she was, after all, only a child. And she did, on occasion. But it wasn’t often enough to be much of a concern, and usually when she did she only said small things that the adults around her just took to be her imagination and adoration of her stuffed rabbit. Malhare did his best to help by keeping himself scarce when they were around others. 

She had always liked talking to him, but now that she knew he could talk back her chatter was almost incessant. Malhare didn’t really mind - after all, he’d spent a long time with nothing but his own thoughts. The talking, even the one-sided chatter of a child, was a welcome change to his life. 

It was raining one weekend morning, and Vanessa was roaming her room in clear boredom. She looked at a few activities - picked up a board game, a book, a few Barbie dolls - but ended up abandoning them all within a few minutes. Eventually, she plopped down on her floor with a coloring book, some crayons, and a heavy sigh. She spent a little while drawing something, and Malhare idly switched his attention between the water-laden outside world and Vanessa. 

“I’m bored!” Vanessa declared suddenly, a few minutes later. She dropped her crayon to the floor and shut the book with a snap. “It’s so  _ boring _ .” 

_ Try spending a year on a store shelf,  _ Malhare thought to himself,  _ then tell me about boring.  _ “I’m sure if you go and find your dad, he’ll help you find something to do,” he said out loud, “you know he loves reading with you, or playing games, or whatever.” 

“Reading and games are boring,” Vanessa complained. Malhare rolled his eyes and looked over at Vanessa. 

“Well, what do you want to do, then? Whatever it is, I’m sure he’d be happy to do it with you.” 

“I dunno,” Ness answered. She kicked the heels of her feet against the floor a few times, thinking. Then, suddenly, she brightened and jumped to her feet. “I know! Let’s have a tea party!” 

“Sorry, I’m kind of busy,” Malhare responded, looking back out the window, “but you know who would probably love to have a tea party with you? Your  _ dad. _ ” He didn’t look over - not even when he felt Vanessa hurry closer in order to peer up at his face. 

“I want  _ you _ to have a tea party with me,” she said, “Please, Hopper?” she dragged out the word ‘please,’ and Malhare made the mistake of looking over at her. She was watching him with wide, hopeful eyes - doing her best impression of a beg. 

“I can’t even hold the teacup,” he told her, but instead of being discouraged, she just brightened more.

“No one else can either! That’s okay!” She told him. Malhare very much wanted to continue telling her no - but he found the words stuck in his throat at her hopeful look. 

“Okay, okay,” he said, “I’ll sit at the table.” Her beaming grin, he decided, was worth the embarrassment of taking part in a child’s tea party. She hurried around the room to grab the parts - setting up a short, small table with a few small seats and a gathering of her favorite stuffed animals. Malhare was almost too tall for the table even sitting, so he sat cross legged on the floor next to it. He watched quietly as Vanessa set out the collection of tiny tea cups and silverware. She even put out a few fake pastries and cakes. 

Then, she pulled out a box and, from that box, a collection of various scarves, hats, and other clothing. Most of it was small, meant for Barbie dolls and the other small plushies that she owned. To Malhare’s horror, though, she did pull out a wide-brimmed hat and scarf big enough for a person. Or, in Vanessa’s view, big enough for a sentient rabbit virus ghost. As she approached him, Malhare held his hands up to stop her. 

“No, no thank you,” he said, as kindly as he could manage, “I don’t really play dress-up.”

“It’s a tea party,” she informed him matter-of-factly, “you have to dress up!” 

“I have a better idea,” he answered, “Why don’t  _ you  _ dress up? And I’ll stay just like this. I already have a bow tie and vest, after all. That’s got to be dressed up enough.” 

“These are tea party clothes,” Vanessa argued, “please? It’s part of the game.” Malhare let out a sigh, then shrugged slightly and let her approach - mostly because he knew exactly what was going to happen. Sure enough, Vanessa reached up to lay the hat on his head - and watched as it promptly fell through him and to the ground. 

“Sorry kid,” Malhare said, “but I can’t really wear clothes, anyway.” He tilted his head, watching as Vanessa stared at the hat. Then, suddenly, her eyes began to well up with tears. She looked so absolutely heartbroken by the sight of the fallen hat, that all at once Malhare felt like a grade A asshole. “Aw Ness, don’t cry, it’s okay. We can still have a nice tea party!” 

“‘s not the same,” she muttered, wiping at her face as she leaned over to pick the hat up. She brushed it off, then turned and laid it on the table, along with the scarf she’d picked out for him. “I don't wanna play anymore,” she continued. Malhare watched her, feeling his ears fall to the sides in a droop. Had dressing up really meant  _ that  _ much to her?

“Well, I do,” he said after a few seconds, “I think I know just what to do. I’ll go back to the plush - then you can put me in a chair and dress me up as much as you want. What do you think?” Vanessa looked at him, and a second later he watched her mood lift. She hurried over to her bed and pulled the rabbit plush from it in order to bring it back over to the table. 

“Can I put the polka-dot hat on you?” She asked, much more cheerfully. Malhare somehow managed to avoid visibly shivering. Good thing the grin on his face was eternally fixed. 

“Sure, whatever you want,” he answered as his physical form vanished and he returned to the plush rabbit. Taking him at his word, Vanessa hummed and began to dress the little rabbit up. Despite the growing embarrassment of being dressed up for a child’s game, Malhare couldn’t summon much real ire. After all, Vanessa was happy, so what else really mattered?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also have a Tumblr. You can follow me [there](http://pyroweasel.tumblr.com) for fic updates, personal updates, and lots of stupid memes.


	2. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanessa runs away - in the dead of winter.

Vanessa had run away. She was all of eight years old, and after an argument with her father during dinner - all because she didn't want to eat, she wanted to watch TV - she decided that he was simply too mean to live with and she would just have to find a better dad who'd let her watch all the TV she wanted and not make her eat her vegetables. So she'd packed up a random assortment of clothing - none of which matched, and none of which created a full outfit - and a handful of toys, had actually managed to pop out the screen of her window, crawled out, and ran away. 

It might have been almost admirable, maybe even amusing, if not for the fact that Ness  _ was  _ eight years old. She was also incredibly stubborn when she wanted to be - meaning she was fully intent on making it a good distance away. There was also the tiny, insignificant fact that it was nighttime in the middle of the winter in Utah - and it was a brutal one, with plenty of snow and, currently, subzero temperatures. 

Malhare had done his best to talk Ness out of her plan, of course. He’d tried it all - telling her she was being silly, she was being spoiled, her father would be out of his mind with worry, wouldn't she miss her bed and toys? - but she was determined to make a point. And, in the end, he’d had to play her game or risk being left behind. He didn’t know what, exactly, he could do for her - but he wouldn’t be able to do  _ anything  _ if he was stuck at home. 

Malhare paid attention as the little girl walked further from her home, wandering into the nearby woods, mostly because he knew  _ she  _ wasn’t paying attention. After a little while, he left the plushie and walked next to her, watching her intently as they continued their trek.

“I think you’ve made your point,” he told her, “don’t you think we should go back now, kid? Aren’t you cold?”

“No,” Ness said, crossing her arms and continuing to walk. Malhare didn’t miss the way her arms trembled as she held them close. It wasn’t long before her entire body was trembling. Worried, he hopped a few steps ahead of her and turned, holding his hands out to try and stop her.

“Nessie, that’s enough,” he said as she stopped, “we’ve been out here long enough. Your dad is going to be scared, and you’re so cold your lips have gone blue. Let’s go home.”

“I don’t wanna!” Ness exclaimed, stomping a foot, “I’m running away! If you’re gonna be mean, you can stay here.” Making good on her threat, she dropped her backpack - complete with Malhare’s plush body. 

“Don’t you dare!” Malhare exclaimed, unable to resist in his panic, “Vanessa Afton, don’t you leave me here.” 

“I’ll find a new bunny, too!” Ness exclaimed in response, “one who’s not mean!” She turned away from him and took off without another word.

“Ness!” Malhare shouted, running after her. But she was quick - and he was limited, and she was outside of his range long before he could catch her. “Ness!” He called after her, “Ness, come back! Ness!” But even though she must be able to hear him, she ignored him - she was gone from sight. Now completely alone in the dark and the cold. And there was nothing Malhare could do to fix it. So he did the only thing he could - he paced in place, at the furthest edge of his reach, and panicked. 

After some time, he returned to the backpack and sat next to it, starting to acknowledge the fact that he was bound to be stuck in place for awhile. It was a selfish thought, maybe, but he couldn’t think of Vanessa without being overwhelmed with a sense of anxiety and fear. He reached up and tugged at his ears, staring forward as he waited for something to happen. Anything. 

There was a sudden sound, and he jumped up to his feet, ears going straight up to try and capture it again. It was distant, and difficult to hear, but as it came again, Malhare recognized it. It was Ness, and she was calling for him. He trotted as far in her direction as he could. 

"Over here!" He called, "I'm over here kiddo - C'mon, just follow the sound of my voice! Over here, Ness!" He kept calling for her, trying to give her a guiding path back to him. It worked - a short while later she wandered back into view. She was moving slow, trembling violently, and if Malhare had  _ thought  _ her lips had gone blue earlier, he was sure of it now. As soon as she was close enough, Malhare hurried towards her. 

"I'm so cold, Hopper," she muttered once he drew near, "I wanna go home. But I can't find it." She sniffed, then began to cry, holding her face in her hands. 

"It's okay," Malhare told her softly, "I know the way. Come on, let's get you home." He grasped her hand in his own, and tugged slightly. She began to follow him, stopping only for a second to pick up her backpack. They moved slowly, but were finally back on their way to warmth. 

* * *

Ness came to a stop, and so did Malhare. The rabbit turned to look at her - she wasn’t shivering anymore, and was staring down at the ground. Malhare wondered if she even knew she’d stopped. He didn't know a lot about humans, but he was pretty sure they were  _ supposed  _ to shiver in the cold. 

“C’mon kiddo, you’ve got to keep going,” Malhare told her, crouching next to her, “we’re almost there - just a little further!” Instead of listening to him, though, Ness suddenly sat. “No, no,” Malhare urged her, “You can’t rest here, Nessie. We have to keep going!” But if she heard him, she didn't acknowledge him. Instead, she pulled her knees up to her chest and curled up tight, her eyes drifting closed. She was going to sleep - and that meant unless help showed up soon, she would die there. 

Malhare couldn't let that happen. 

He didn't like the alternative much better, he didn't know how well she would take it, given she was already so weak. But it was their best choice. If help was close enough to save her, they'd have heard voices by now. But they were alone. Ness wasn't going to make it unless drastic measures were taken. 

"Sorry, kiddo," Malhare said as he laid a paw on her head, "this isn't going to be very nice." And with that, he pushed forward into the little girl's consciousness. 

It was surprisingly easy, given he hadn't gathered near enough strength to do this if she were well. That only scared him more - she was so weak that taking control was as easy as wrapping a blanket around himself. As Malhare settled in, he felt Ness stir - he felt her try and fight back against the undoubtedly uncomfortable feeling of his presence. 

"Easy, Ness," He told her softly, "it's okay. Try not to fight me, kiddo - I'm going to help you, okay? I just want to help you. It won't hurt so bad if you let me." She was still frightened - but he felt her slip back, felt her permission. Mentally, he reached out - and even though it wasn't physical, he took comfort in the feeling of grasping her consciousness like a hand. And when Malhare opened his eyes, he was a couple of feet shorter and much more solid than usual. 

He could feel how cold Ness was, how tired, but the sensations didn't affect him anywhere near as strongly. He got them to their feet, picked up her backpack, and treked towards home, holding Ness's consciousness all the while - terrified that if he let go, she might slip away entirely. They could move faster with him in control, and it wasn't long at all before Malhare could see the edge of the trees - and the lights of a search party. 

"Ness!" 

"Nessie! C'mon Ness, where are you?" 

"VANESSA! NESS! NESSIE!" The last was her dad - and after that night, Malhare understood his panic well. He drove Ness on to the edge of the trees, where she would be seen in the light of a flashlight. 

"Over here!" Malhare called in her voice. As soon as there was a light on them, Malhare began to pull away. He did his best to carefully guide Ness's consciousness back in place, then removed himself entirely. He watched with no small amount of panic as Ness almost immediately collapsed in place. She wasn't down for long, though - Mike was there in seconds and was picking her up, cradling her desperately close in his arms. 

"Ness - oh god - I'm going to need more blankets!" Mike called as he bundled the little girl up in the blankets he was carrying himself. "Hang on kiddo, we're gonna get you warm." Mike tucked her as close as he could and turned, hurrying back towards the other humans who were already on their way with more blankets. There was even an ambulance already there - Malhare saw them hurrying forward too. 

Ness was cold and very weak - but she was there, and Malhare knew that with the humans' attention she would be okay. She would recover - from the cold, and from his intrusion. With a heavy sigh, Malhare settled back into the plush rabbit in Ness's backpack. 

Eight years old, and the little girl had already proven herself to be stubborn and hard-headed to a dangerous fault. Malhare wondered just what he'd gotten himself into. 

It was setting up to be a very interesting life. 


	3. Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanessa has figured out something about herself - and Malhare's the first one she tells.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little drabble I worked up, dealing with the subject of coming out. Just a little funsies!

Even though Malhare was far more than a simple plush and could provide hours of companionship and discussion, he still found himself often pushed to the side as Vanessa got older. 

She didn't forget him - she took good care of his plush form, always spoke with him when he addressed her first, and did initiate conversations often enough. But she was no little child any longer - at fourteen, she was a teenager. She would be starting high school soon. She couldn't just be hefting her stuffed rabbit around anymore. Ness loved pushies, that hadn't changed, but they all spent more time on a shelf than her bed. Tea time and imaginative games were replaced with homework and conversations with friends and robotics club. 

So Malhare found himself doing a lot of watching. He watched over her, he watched over her father, he watched over the house. As Ness grew older, she began to understand more about Malhare, and so was always cognizant of his need to go out on occasion. But those occasions were far less when she didn't always need the comfort of a toy. 

That evening was a strange one. Ness had come home, eaten dinner, and had been in her room ever since. She was very quiet, flipping through a book Malhare couldn't see, and overall seemed pensive and withdrawn. Malhare didn't press - that never worked with Ness - but he watched her. Watched, and waited, and wondered. It wasn't as if she didn't have her moody spells - she was a budding teenager with a stubborn streak a mile wide. But there was definitely something off about her this time, something Malhare couldn’t quite figure out.

"Hey, Hopper?" Ness asked eventually, sitting up on her bed. She didn't look over at him, eyes still on her book instead. "What do you know about humans?" 

"That's a pretty broad question," Malhare responded, sticking to the plushie for the moment, "there's a lot to know about humans, after all. Some things I know a lot about, other things I know nothing about. Wanna be a bit more specific for me, kid?" 

Ness didn't answer him. Her fingers played with the edges of a page in the book. When he saw that her hands were shaking slightly, Malhare decided to materialize. He settled on the edge of her bed, a distance away in order to let her keep her personal space. 

"Alright, spill," He said, "something's eating you alive, and it's not going to go away until you talk about it. I'm the best pair of ears you’ve got, so why don't you tell me all about it."

She still didn't speak for a long minute or two. Malhare waited patiently - she'd talk when she was ready, and he had nothing but time. Eventually, she looked over at him, then picked up the book and held it out so he could read it. Malhare peered closer to get a good look. After some reading, he realized it was some sort of textbook chapter on human sexualities. 

"I think I'm this," Ness said quietly, pointing to one of the bolded words. Malhare tilted his head slightly and peered at it. 

' **Bisexuality** , or the quality or characteristic of being sexually attracted not exclusively to people of one particular gender,' it read. Malhare looked to Ness again - she was so red with embarrassment he could see it through her darker complexion. She wouldn't meet his eyes, staring instead over at her wall. Instead of immediately replying to her, Malhare looked to the book again, reading on a bit further. The book had plenty to say, but the overall message was clear - this was a big deal for humans, and humans without support about things like this didn't do very well. 

"Well," Malhare said, leaning back, "congrats! I'm, um, very excited for you. This is great news!" 

"You're not very good at this," Ness muttered, lying the book back down on the bed, "now it's just weird." 

"Sorry," Malhare said honestly, "this isn't really something I've ever had to think about, you know? This is kind of my first experience -" He paused, shook his head, "this conversation is about you. What's got you so nervous about this? Who you are or aren't attracted to - that doesn't change who you are or anything."

"Thanks," Ness said, tracing her fingers along the page in the book. "And I dunno. What if I'm wrong? What if I change my mind later?" 

"You're only fourteen," Malhare pointed out, "you might _not_ change your mind, but even if you do…so? Every story you've ever read says love is the most important thing. Why should it matter if you love a man, or a woman, or someone who's neither or both? You've got a big heart, kid. Whoever gets to share in that is lucky, and the world is a better place to have it."

"That's really cheesy," Ness said, but when she looked at him she was smiling softly, and her eyes were a little brighter. 

"Uplifting though, right?" Malhare responded, and that actually got a laugh out of the teen. 

"Yeah," she agreed, "thanks, Hops. It really means a lot. Do you think…"

"Do I think what?" 

"Do you think my dad is going to care?" Ness asked in a quick breath. Just like that, she was nervous again. She gripped the blanket on her bed in a tight hold, and looked away, fidgeting in place. 

"I mean, I'm sure he'll be happy you told him," Malhare said with a slight note of confusion. "But, you mean, do I think he’s going to react negatively? Of course not. That guy would take on the whole world for you - he's not gonna give a hare's tail about who you find attractive."

"What if he does, though?" Ness asked, turning to look at him, "what if…what if it makes him feel differently about me? Why if it makes him like me less?" 

"I'm pretty sure there's nothing you could ever do to make him love you less -" 

"I said _like,_ " Ness cut in, "not _love._ "

"Fine, then there's nothing you could do to make him _like_ you less, either," Malhare shot back. "Isn't your uncle engaged to a man?" 

"Yeah, but that's Uncle Fritz," Ness said, "they're not even really brothers, just really good friends. It might be different, since I'm his daughter."

"If anything, that only makes it less likely that he'll think poorly of you," Malhare told her. "Look, if you're that worried about it, there's no one saying you _have_ to tell him anything. You could always come back to the topic, if it ends up mattering in the future. But believe me, Ness, he's not going to care, beyond being proud of you for telling him. Hey, we've never even seen him date, he might not be -" Malhare leaned over to peer at the book again, "straight himself. Who knows?" 

"Do you think of me any differently?" 

"Of course not," Malhare said fondly, "you're still the annoying brat I'm stuck with forever. You end up with someone, you just make sure they're worth your affection. Otherwise, it doesn't matter to me who they are or what they look like." Ness looked over at him, then nodded. After a minute, she slipped off of her bed and stood, clutching the book tightly to her chest. 

"Okay. I'm gonna go tell him, right now!" She swallowed hard. "Before I lose my nerve."

"Alright then. Take a breath - it's going to be fine. Good luck kid," Malhare told her. With a heavy, shaky breath, Ness turned and headed out of her room. Malhare considered following - but he was pretty sure this was something private. Malhare was almost one-hundred percent sure he was right about Mike's character - and if he happened to be wrong, well, he'd hear about that too. And deal with it then.

Ness was gone for a long while - nighttime settled in long before she came back to her room. When she did, she came in with a bounce in her step and a cheerfulness in her face. She immediately made her way over to where Malhare was - sitting sideways in her desk chair now - and threw her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Oof,” Malhare grunted in response, “I’m guessing that went well, then?”

“It went great,” Ness agreed, “Just like you said - he was happy, supportive, and...and proud. You were right.”

“Of course I was,” Malhare said, “I’m always right, you should really know that by now.” Ness laughed softly and hugged him a little tighter. 

“Thank you,” Ness told him, “you were a big help tonight, I - just, thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Malhare said, patting her head, “You’re welcome squirt.”


	4. Starshine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ness and her little group decide to enjoy some good, old-fashioned breaking and entering. What they find, though, is something completely unexpected.

"What do you think your dad would say if he knew you were a criminal?" Malhare asked as he materialized inside of the dark, empty building that his wayward human was currently doing her best to break into. 

"Hush Hopper," Ness muttered as she shoved the door open with her shoulder, "it's just a little fun. It's not like we're breaking anything."

"Ah, yes, the classic defense," Malhare snarked back, "'but officer, we were only doing the  _ entering  _ part of breaking and entering!'" 

Ness huffed softly as she finally pried the door open and slipped inside the building. Once fully inside, she paused, looked at Malhare, and crossed her arms. "I thought you'd enjoy this kind of thing," she said quietly. 

"Oh, I very much do," Malhare responded cheerfully, "I'm just making a point."

"Is he trying to talk you out of it?" Another voice broke into their conversation. A boy pushed his way through the door behind Ness and, once through, moved to stand at her side. He glanced around the space as if trying to spot Malhare, and the rabbit couldn't help but roll his eyes. 

The boy's name was Luis Cabrera, and Malhare supposed he was alright. He was Ness's best friend - and he certainly deserved the title. He had been one of her biggest supporters practically since they met - and vice versa, of course. Which was exactly why Ness had ended up spilling the beans about her ghost rabbit - with Malhare's permission. It had taken surprisingly little to convince Luis that Ness wasn't just messing with him, and he'd done his best to include Malhare in their conversations ever since. The rabbit had to respect that. 

Malhare also had to respect Luis's spirit. He'd seen the mall currently being built in town, had heard that strange happenings had been occurring to the construction team, and had decided that it was something Ness would want to check out. Which she had, of course - bringing them to the present, where the two teens were currently trespassing into said half-built mall. 

"Not really," Ness answered Luis's question, "he's just his usual snarky self. So, anyway!" She clapped her hands together and turned in place to look around the mall. "Where should we look first? Where would weird things be coming from?" 

"Oh, so I was looking into that," Luis said excitedly. As he spoke, he moved his hands around a lot - Malhare had to look away, as the movements were causing the flashlight the boy was holding to flash the area like a beacon. "You'll never guess what used to be in this very spot. Or, well, not like, actually right here - but in this general area."

"What?" Ness asked, while Malhare was suddenly sure of exactly what Luis was going to say. 

"An old Freddy's restaurant!" Luis exclaimed. Malhare's heart sank, and he was glad to see that Ness wasn't exactly excited about that herself. 

"Really?" she asked. At Luis's nod, she frowned and crossed her arms. She didn't say anything for a few seconds, and Malhare looked around while they waited. "We need to be extra careful then," Ness continued, "just in case. You know, when Freddy's is involved, usually strange things are a little stranger."

"Maybe it'd be better to leave it alone entirely," Malhare argued, "the franchise's idea of  _ stranger  _ is usually code for  _ dangerous. _ "

"We'll be careful," Ness responded firmly, "but it's not like there's going to be animatronics or anything. Dad wouldn't have left anyone behind, after all."

"I sure hope you're right about that," Malhare grumbled, recognizing a lost fight when he saw one. 

"I'm sure I am," Ness said confidently, before gesturing with a hand and starting to walk away. Luis jogged in place to catch up to her side, and Malhare trailed them from behind, watching every shadow as they went. He wanted to make sure no threat snuck up on them - not killer animatronic nor falling beam. He just  _ really  _ hoped Ness was right about the animatronic part. 

So, of course, she wasn't. 

Malhare caught sight of it in the beam of Luis's flashlight - there was something metallic buried in a nearby, messy corner. He alerted the humans - intending to  _ warn  _ them, not encourage them. But really, he should have known better. As soon as they were aware of it, both Ness and Luis approached the mechanical rubbish. It was Ness, though, that reached out to begin uncovering it. 

At first, it appeared to be only an old, rusted endoskeleton. As Ness moved debris away from it, however, they found that it did have a suit on its bottom half. The suit was cracked and worn and broken along its edge, but it was easy enough to see that it was a faded, once-bright blue plastic. The big feet sitting on the ground were intimately familiar - Malhare would eat his own plushie if the animatronic hadn't once been some sort of bunny. 

"You two should stay back from that thing," Malhare said once it was completely uncovered and the humans were standing back to look at it in its entirety, "you don't know what it's like."

"It's just an animatronic," Ness argued as she moved closer and reached out to prod at the endoskeleton, "a really old one, by the looks of it. It's seen better days - I don't think it's active."

"Why's it  _ here _ , though?" Luis asked her, "do you think your dad knows about it? Do you think it was ever one of his?" 

"No way," Ness said, lifting the endoskeleton's arm slowly up and down. "He wouldn't just leave someone abandoned and broken like this. Well, okay, I guess it's not impossible, if this one wasn't ever sentient. They've really scrapped this guy up, though. He doesn't have any pieces inside. He's just a…a skeleton."

Malhare half listened to her as he watched the endoskeleton. It had definitely seen better days - he could see it was missing a voice modulator, and like Ness had said, most of the other important parts. But, he realized as he looked a bit closer, it  _ did  _ have some working internals. They were cracked and as old as the rest of the animatronic, but they were there. Including hydraulics in its jaw. 

And Ness was standing right in front of the animatronic now, peering at its endoskeleton head with unbridled curiosity. In a spark of sudden intuition, Malhare knew  _ exactly  _ what was about to happen. 

"Back!" He exclaimed in a panic, not waiting for the girl to listen to him. He reached out and snatched her arm and ripped her backwards so hard she fell to the ground with a yelp. 

The animatronic snapped forward a half second later, its endoskeleton teeth snapping at the air where Ness had just been. Both humans froze in place, even as the endoskeleton slowly moved back into its sitting position. 

"So, uh, this one…it bites, I guess," Luis said, backing up a bit further still, before moving to help Ness stand up, "holy crap…it nearly got you. Are you alright?" 

"I'm fine," Ness replied, voice cracking slightly, "Hopper pulled me back." She grabbed Luis's hand, got to her feet, and looked to Malhare. "Thanks…why...why did it do that?" 

"Not every animatronic can be as cuddly as your bunch, I guess," Malhare responded, "come on. Can we go now? I think that was a close enough call for the day."

"But...do you think it's sentient? Maybe it needs our help -" 

"It almost just bit your face off!" Malhare exclaimed, " _ if  _ it's sentient, it's a jerk, so let's leave it!" 

"Oh, he's not sentient," a new voice answered Ness. That time, all three of the intruders froze and slowly turned in place. 

" _ Bonnie _ ?" Ness asked, staring with wide eyes at the newcomer. Malhare could see why she'd ask - the animatronic in front of them  _ did  _ look a lot like Bonnie. It was a rabbit, to start with, and the same deep purple color as the Bonnie they knew. But Bonnie had a fur suit - this rabbit was made of some sort of fancy, shimmering metal. Literally shimmering - its dark purple coat was littered with small sparkles that shimmered and glinted in Luis's flashlight. His muzzle, stomach, and the insides of his ears were all a soft, golden color. A vividly bright red bowtie - shimmering with the same sparkles - sat wrapped about his neck. He was made to look as if he were wearing clothes with an 80s aesthetic - a tailored jacket complete with a long set of pointed shoulder pads. All a shiny, emerald green in color. The overall appearance was bright, shimmering, and very colorful. Topping the look off, his ears were pulled back and tied together with a golden scrunchie - or at least, they were designed to look that way. They curved sharply back and to his left, but otherwise were the same unmalleable metal as the rest of its body. 

He had a face that reminded Malhare of the Funtime Animatronics. It was made of plates - though they were much smaller and more compact than the funtimes'. At a distance, the rabbit's face looked whole, but the small plates gave him a range of expressions. And Malhare very much disliked the expression he was giving the humans. 

'Cat who caught the canary' indeed. 

The animatronic was tall - Malhare would guess even slightly taller than Spring Bonnie, and with the ears, taller than even Circus Baby, who was the tallest animatronic they knew. It was built more slim than Bonnie, although the shoulder pads provided a little extra width. 

"Oh, I've had lots of names," the animatronic continued in answer, waving one massive paw. "Some of the humans do just call me Bonnie, others have adopted this just  _ adorable  _ nickname - Thumper, can you believe it? I think the official name is Glamrock Bonnie but, hey, no one really uses it." He paused, the faceplates shifted to allow him to smile - who had given this thing  _ sharp  _ teeth? "It was Toy Bonnie once, but that was a long time ago." He gestured at the animatronic endoskeleton behind them. "As you can see, I've upgraded."

"Ness, it's time to go," Malhare said, feeling that suddenly and urgently - this rabbit was not good news, and his small human was in very real danger. 

"Um, what…what do you prefer to be called?" Ness asked instead, glancing quickly to Malhare. He let out a huff of annoyance, but didn't argue - he understood what she was trying to say. The animatronic in front of them was shiny and well put together - chances were it'd catch the humans easily if they tried to run. 

"Prefer?" The animatronic asked, tilting his head slightly at the question, "I don't understand the question." And it seemed like he truly didn't - the sheer aura of intimidation he'd been giving off seemed to suddenly ease up as he looked at the human girl with something like curiosity. 

"W-well," Ness said, "you said you've been  _ called  _ all those names. But, isn't there one you like to be called more than the others? What do you call yourself?" 

"I don't think about it," the animatronic answered, narrowing his eyes slightly in thought. He was quiet for a long second before suddenly pointing at the humans. "What are your names? What do  _ you _ call yourselves?" He demanded. 

"Um, I'm Vanessa," Ness said, "though all of my friends and family call me Ness. That's how I think of myself, too."

"And I'm Luis," the boy offered quickly, "that's - that's all. Just Luis." The rabbit animatronic hummed, glancing briefly at Luis before focusing his attention back on Ness. Then, suddenly, he reached out and clasped his paw around her shoulder. Alarmed, Malhare shot towards her, vanished, and threw his consciousness up against hers. 

"Give me control," he told her, their conversation mental and inaudible to anyone outside, "I'll get you out of this!" 

"No," Ness responded in kind, even as the rabbit animatronic leaned closer to her. So close. Too close - Malhare remembered his  _ teeth  _ and how sharp they were _.  _ "Not yet, I've got his attention - I can still get us out of this."

Frustrated, Malhare didn't bother to argue with her. He could take control without causing any side effects beyond a slight headache, these days - but only when she allowed it. It was their deal. And if she was set in her decision, she wasn't going to listen to him. So all he could do was watch and wait - even as the rabbit leaned down until his face was right in front of Ness's. The perfect distance for biting. 

"Vanessa…can I call you Ness? Are  _ we _ friends?" The rabbit asked with a sharp-toothed grin. Ness straightened her shoulders and looked back at the rabbit confidently - but Malhare could feel the fear seeping beneath her strong demeanor. 

"Do you want to be friends?" Ness asked, "'cause if you do, then I'd be happy to be your friend. And of course you can call me Ness."

"Hah! You're a brave kid, aren't you, Ness?" The rabbit asked, "how old are you two, anyway?" 

"I'm fifteen," Ness told him, "so is Luis."

"Still pretty young then," the rabbit hummed. He was quiet again, his eyes roaming Ness's face. "Tell me, Ness, how did you get  _ your _ name?" 

"Uh, well, my mom gave it to me," Ness answered, "when I was born. I grew up with it."

"So you didn't choose yours either - you were  _ called  _ it, too."

"True," Ness agreed, "but it's a little different for humans. When we're born, we can't think for ourselves very well, so we can't choose our names. But, sometimes people don't like the name they're given. Sometimes they do choose their own, later!" 

"I see. So, you think I should choose my own name, then?" The rabbit asked. 

"Well n-no, not necessarily! I mean, you can! But, if you like one of the other names, you could choose one of them too. Or, you don't have to choose at all, if you don't want! You can be all of them. Or nothing at all. It's...it's all up to you." 

The rabbit hummed again, the sound echoing in the humans' - and by extension Malhare's - ears. Then, finally, the rabbit straightened up, putting more distance between him and Ness. Malhare felt Ness relax just as he did. 

"Why don't you pick a name for me, Ness?" The rabbit asked. 

"M-Me?" Ness asked in surprise, pointing at herself. 

"Yup! You!" The rabbit said, "but think it over really well! Because here's the deal. You think up a good one, and you and your friend here are free to go. I'll even walk you out, to make sure none of my friends give you any trouble. But if you say one I hate, well," He paused, grinned, each one of his sharp teeth on display. "Let's just say you won't be going anywhere."

"No, nope, not a chance. Not a good deal," Malhare broke in, "Come on Ness, now or never. Make a break for it. Or let me. Let's run for it!" 

"Lepus," Ness said out loud instead. 

"Lepus?!" Both the animatronic and Malhare exclaimed at the same time. 

"Yeah," Ness hurried, flinching back slightly as if expecting the rabbit to attack then and there. "It's…it's a constellation. Shaped like a rabbit. Um, your colors - you sparkle and shine. Like stars. Any…anything about stars would work, but, you deserve a whole constellation. I think."

The rabbit tilted his head, peering down at the girl. His poker face was unnervingly good - Malhare prepared himself to surge forward, so he could give Ness an edge if the rabbit attacked. But, after a long standstill moment, the rabbit looked down at himself, then straightened, reaching up and running a hand softly along his ears. 

He was  _ preening.  _

"You really think I look like a star?" He asked. 

"S-stars, plural," Ness said, "and, yes, I do. It was the first thing I noticed - your sparkle."

"Well, you sure know how to charm a bunny, Ness," The rabbit said. "I'll admit, it would take some getting used to…but I think I like it! Lepus. It's different, it shines…it's mine." He paused. "It  _ is  _ mine, isn't it? I can take it?" 

_ What's she going to say? No?  _ Malhare thought bitterly. 

"Of course - you don't have to ask permission. You can have whatever name you like," Ness said. 

"Lepus," He said again, humming softly after. Then, suddenly, he turned and gestured with a hand. "Well! Come on then, you two."

"Wait, where…where are we going?" Luis asked, exchanging a look with Ness. 

"I told you, didn't I? I said I'd get you out. So come on then, follow me, I'll show you the exit," He said the last with a musical lilt in his voice. The humans looked at each other again and then, after a long second, Ness nodded. Not surprisingly, she lead the way after Lepus, though Luis hurried to fall in step at her side. Malhare stayed close, his consciousness hovering between his plush and Ness herself. He wondered about Lepus's friends - but, true to the animatronic's word, the group didn't see hide nor hair of any other sentient beings. Before long, they were back at the door they'd started at. But before either human could get too close to the exit, Lepus reached out and clasped his massive paw over Ness's shoulder once again. The girl froze, her heart immediately starting to race. 

"You'll come back, won't you, Ness?" Lepus asked her, "since we're friends now and all. Aren't friends supposed to visit with each other?" 

"Y-yeah," Ness stammered, caught off guard, "of course, um, of course I'll come back." At her stammering answer, Lepus narrowed his eyes slightly. Then, his faceplates shifted into a surprised expression and he pulled his hand back. Then, he crossed his arms and turned slightly away from them. 

"Jeez, it wasn't a  _ threat, _ " he said, "it was just a question. You did say we were friends. But that was just because you were scared, wasn't it? Figures. Well? What are you waiting for? Get out of here. I'm keeping the name though!" 

"Hold on…wait, Lepus," Ness said, waiting until the rabbit's eyes shifted to look at her. "I'm sorry. I  _ was _ scared, but I also wasn't lying - if you wanna be friends, we can be friends. We're not really supposed to be here, but…I'll come back when I can. Okay?" She paused, looked at her hand, and then held it out towards the animatronic. "I promise." 

Lepus studied her with a side-eye for a second, then turned and reached out to grasp her hand in return. "Okay!" He said, much more cheerful now, "next time, you can help name my friends, too."

"As long as you can promise me it'd be safe," Ness answered with a nervous cheerfulness, "your friends aren't going to threaten me, are they?" 

"I'll make sure they don't," Lepus answered, "you're my friend, and I'm the boss, so as long as I say you're off limits, they won't touch a hair on your head." Malhare wondered if the other rabbit was capable of any sort of genuine kindness without the hint of threat beneath the words, but to his surprise, it just made Ness smile. 

"Okay," she said as she slipped her hand out of Lepus's. "Then I'll see you all next time I can sneak in here, alright?" 

"Alright," Lepus agreed, "oh, and you can come too, Luis. I guess. Friends by association and all that."

"Oh, uh, thanks," Luis said, rubbing the back of his neck, "I'll uh, try my best to be there!" 

"Cool. Alright. Bye then," Lepus said, turning, waving, and walking away without another single word. The two humans and Malhare watched the rabbit animatronic go, all a bit bewildered. 

"You're not actually coming back here, right?" Malhare asked as Ness finally turned and began to shove her way out of the building, Luis close behind. 

"Of course I am," Ness answered. 

Of course she was, Malhare groaned to himself. 


	5. Drenched

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malhare gets pampered. He could get used to it.

It had been a perfectly reasonable accident, no one's fault at all. A small tear in Ness's bag that no one knew about had chosen the worst time to rip, and had sent the contents of her bag onto the drenched, muddy sidewalk as she ran for her dad's car. That included most of her school books, a jacket, a pen case - 

And the plush body that Malhare inhabited. 

The rabbit hadn't expected the sudden sensation of being completely drenched in muddy, frigid water. Even if he had known what was going to happen, he wouldn't have expected it. Sure, some sensations of the plush body transferred to his physical state of being - being held upside down, for example. But he didn't feel most of them any longer, especially as part of him resided in Ness, now. Apparently, though, the universe had a sick sense of humor. Out of all the things he  _ could  _ still feel, this had to be one of them. 

"Oh no!" Ness cried as she turned to find her things soaking in a puddle. "Hopper! My books!" She exclaimed as she reached first for the rabbit, then for everything else. Malhare appreciated her concern for him first, at least. Not a second later, Mike was crouched by her side and grabbing up some of the things too. 

"It's okay," Mike said, "most of this will dry, and we'll replace anything that doesn't, okay? Don't cry Nessie, it was just an accident." He carefully pried her other belongings away from the sniffling girl, leaving her only with the stuffed rabbit. "Come on kiddo, let's get into the car. You're getting soaked, and the sooner we get home the sooner we can get these dried off, okay?" 

"'Kay," Ness said with another sniffle. She clutched Hopper close and reached out to grab the back of Mike's shirt with her free hand for their walk to the car. As they drove home, Ness held Hopper on her lap and stared at the rabbit morosely. 

"I'm soaked," Malhare told her, "but I'm fine, Nessie. This is  _ very  _ uncomfortable, but it's not going to hurt me."

"Sorry," Ness muttered very quietly, and even so she glanced quickly towards the front of the car. Mike looked back at her through the rear view mirror and smiled, but if he'd heard her, he didn't say anything. 

"It was an accident," Malhare said, "you don't have to be sorry." He  _ was  _ incredibly uncomfortable, and growing more agitated by the moment. Still, he wouldn't let Ness see it. She was already upset, and it really had just been a freak accident. He wasn't about to make it worse. 

Some parents may have insisted on trying to save the school supplies first. Mike, however, knew what mattered more to Ness. So once they got home, Mike set the rest of the stuff aside - although he did lay it out to help it start drying - and turned to Ness. Of course, when he suggested a soft wash and dry through the machines, Ness clutched the plush rabbit even tighter. 

"No!" She exclaimed, "that might hurt him!" 

"We'll make sure it's really gentle," Mike told her patiently, "but it's going to do the best at cleaning and drying him up." Mike sighed softly when Ness just shook her head again. "Okay, then we'll have to do it by hand. It's gonna be a little bit of work," He warned her. 

"Okay," Ness agreed. 

Shortly after, Malhare found himself having a bath. It was a very new experience for him, and it created a strange mixture of awkwardness, discomfort, and enjoyment. He was surprised at how much he felt - the comfortable warmth of the water, the feeling of the stiff-bristled brush Ness was scrubbing the plush with. At first, it was uncomfortable, but as time passed, the feeling began to grow on him. 

Eventually, he found himself drifting. Malhare didn't sleep - it wasn't needed, nor was it really possible - but he could drift. Just relax and think nothing. Usually he did it at night, as he stared out into the sky. But he found himself doing it now, too. There was something relaxing about the warm water and the scrubbing. He was almost disappointed when it was over. 

But then, with Mike's help, Ness used a hair dryer and a Barbie hair brush to dry out the plush rabbit's fur. That was almost better. The feeling of the warm air blowing through his fur and along his ears, the soft brushing sensations - Ness was exceedingly careful, and it made the entire situation very relaxing. She made sure he was entirely dry, and refused to stop until there wasn't a single drop of moisture left in the plush rabbit's fur. 

She didn't spend nearly as much time drying her school books or other belongings. Hopper was special, after all. 

When all was said and done and they were safely tucked into her room for the night, Malhare materialized on the windowsill. He kicked his feet up against the opposite side and leaned his head back with a relaxed sigh. When he did, Ness sat up in bed and peered over him with wide, worried eyes. He could feel her apprehension boil up between them, so he looked over at her. 

"Are you still worrying about what happened today?" He asked, not surprised when she nodded, "didn't I tell you not to? It was an accident kid, it happens. You know, don't go dunking me in puddles for fun, but I know you didn't mean for it to happen."

"You're not mad?" She asked. The quiet in her voice twisted something inside of Malhare in a painful vice. He couldn't imagine ever really being mad at the girl, and he didn't like fear the idea gave her. 

"Of course I'm not mad," He told her, trying to make himself sound soothing, "not even a little. Actually, I wanted to say thank you! You took very good care of the stuffed bunny, and it made me feel a lot better. You're a very good friend, kiddo."

Ness peered at him for a few more seconds before smiling and nodding. "'Kay," she said, before she snuggled back down into bed and, apparently soothed, fell asleep not long after. Malhare watched Ness for a while, until she was well and truly asleep, then turned his attention back to the night sky. 

On a whim, he reached up and gently scratched at the spot between his ears. Feeling quite soothed himself, he hummed softly as he waited once more for the night to pass. 


	6. William

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In an alternate universe, William has survived, hidden in the shadows far from what remains of his family. When he's tempted by the newest addition, however, things take a turn for the worst for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> CW: Blood and gore, onscreen character death.
> 
> Note: There are a lot of holes with this plot, but I couldn't resist. The biggest imo is, how can both Malhare and William exist? My answer is - bad man juju and remnant.

Somebody had broken into the Afton household. It would take some time for Ness and Mike to realize what had happened though, because the thief had left no mess, and had only stolen one thing. One thing that Ness would cry for hours over, thinking she had misplaced it or left it somewhere. As if it would have ever let her just leave it behind, but then again, nine year olds weren't the most logical creatures in the world. 

Malhare had been stolen. 

Or, rather, his plush body - Ness's beloved Hopper - had. Still, where the body went, so went Malhare. So when the man took the plush far from the Afton home, Malhare had no choice but to go along for the ride. However little he wanted to do that. 

Malhare didn't like this thief. He hadn't liked him since he stepped out of his purple Rolls Royce, looked up at the Afton household, and had unknowingly met Malhare's eyes. 

Some part of Malhare knew his abductor. He couldn't place it, couldn't quite make the memories whole, but he knew that this was not a good connection. 

The man was older - old, Malhare would even call it. He had to be in his late sixties, at least. The hair on his head was all gray and very thin - there wasn't much of it left. What really got Malhare was the man's eyes, though. They, too, were very familiar, but somehow in a different way. It took Malhare a few hours to place it, but when he did, it rattled him. 

The man's eyes, while quite a bit colder, were the same dark blue as Mike's. 

The man who kidnapped him didn't speak much. Occasionally, Malhare would hear him mutter under his breath, or would catch him having full conversations with himself, but always quietly. Always as if afraid to be heard, even within the confines of a small and dirty apartment. The man made Malhare feel uneasy - he kept a distance between them. Eventually, too bothered to keep up, Malhare went back into his plush body entirely, and did his best to block his awareness of reality. 

Malhare didn't know what the man intended with the strange, off plush that he'd stolen. The rabbit didn't think his plush body was anything worth selling - he looked like a homemade, cheap knock-off of merchandise any kid or collector could just get from Fazbear's on a whim. Perhaps, Malhare mused, the man was just mentally ill. Just wanted a companion. Too bad Malhare was entirely unwilling to be that. If that were the case, his plush body would have to do. 

Malhare had already come to the conclusion that he'd never see his kid or her dad again. It hurt - more than he would have thought he  _ could  _ hurt - but there was nothing he could do about it. He supposed, if he wanted, he could start pushing himself upon the man, maybe control him enough that he could get himself back to Ness. He even felt it out, once - pushed feelers towards the man's mind. 

He'd immediately felt so sick he thought he'd vomit - and Malhare felt pretty sure he  _ couldn't  _ vomit. There was something about the man's very essence that terrified Malhare. He'd never be able to merge, not even just enough to get himself home. He was well and truly stuck. 

So when, some unknown time later, a familiar voice filtered through his consciousness, Malhare was flabbergasted. He shot out of the plush body at breakneck speed, only to freeze at the terrifying sight in front of him. 

His abductor was at a fence, and was crouched down in order to be eye-level with the child he was speaking to. Ness, who was in the playground on the other side of the fence, and was currently staring with wide, tear-filled eyes at the man. But when Malhare materialized, her eyes jumped to him. They widened even further, and he quickly put a finger to his mouth as he made his way to stand at her side. He turned to face his abductor as well, feeling something angry boil deep in his code. 

"I only want to chat," the man was saying, his voice surprisingly smooth, "just stay and talk with me, just like this, and I'll gladly give you your toy back."

"Don't you listen to him," Malhare warned, "go get a teacher. You know the rules about strangers, Ness." Ness shook her head slightly and took a step back, while Malhare nodded her on encouragingly. 

"Come now, you don't have to be afraid of me," the man said, his tone like that of someone speaking to a scared animal, "I really do only want to talk. It's good to be cautious of strangers, but I'm not truly a stranger. Vanessa, my name is William, and I'm your grandfather."

Malhare felt like he'd been dunked in frigid water. All at once, every echo and memory he'd pushed aside flooded back - clearer than ever. Now he had a face, a name, and every one of those memories - which until that moment had been vague and unclear - now had a start and an end. And when his brain so unhelpfully took some of those shadowed faces and replaced them with Ness, something twisted tight inside his gut. 

Malhare wanted to cry, and that was an entirely new feeling. 

"Go inside, right now," Malhare all but snarled at Ness. A small part of him felt bad when she looked all at once hurt and scared - but he didn't let it dissuade him. There were more important things than her feelings, in that moment. "Now, Ness!" She jumped, at that, but it had the desired effect - without another word, she turned and sprinted away. And still stuck though he was, Malhare felt himself relax. 

Ness was smart - she'd tell a teacher, and she'd definitely tell her father. And no matter what the school might or might not do, Malhare would not want to be the one to cross an angry Mike. 

The man - William - was agitated as he straightened back into a standing position. He muttered something too quietly for Malhare to hear, though the rabbit was pretty sure there'd been a swear involved. With unhurried steps, William went back to his car, all but whipped the plush into the back seat, and took off, Malhare once more his unwilling companion. 

* * *

Things went quiet again. Despite Malhare's fears, William didn't try anything new. He didn't return to the school, didn't try to hunt down Ness's home, and if he were making any nefarious plans he kept them firmly in his own head. At first, Malhare stood on pins and needles - waited and waited for William to pull some new stunt. He planned what he would do if the two ran paths again - he hated to overtake Ness, but he would if it meant he could get her away from William. 

After the incident with Ness, Malhare stayed out - intent on knowing immediately if things changed. Still, he was limited - if William left the house without Hopper, Malhare was stuck behind. So he didn't see how William got the note, where it might have come from. But, he did get to see the note - and the satisfying sight of William falling for it hook, line, and sinker. 

Malhare thought old age must have dulled the man's perceptive nature. 

The note was short, and Malhare could almost feel the hatred rolling off of it. 

_ Bring the rabbit to the Arcade. If you want to meet her, it's going to be on  _ _ my _ _ terms. Tonight. Ten p.m. The door will be unlocked.  _

_ -Mike _

William was smug, after that. Malhare could see what he was thinking - that he'd won, that his son was still obedient - and Malhare also knew that William was wrong. Dead wrong. Probably literally, if Malhare knew his family. 

Not that the rabbit would bother to correct the man. 

The sight waiting for them that evening would have sent most normal people running. The Arcade lights were dim, only a few on at all. There was no grand appearance or fanfare, Mike was waiting dead center in the room, arms crossed and eyes full of fury. William hadn't taken two steps into the building before Mike was moving. 

"How long have you been watching us?" Mike hissed, his voice low and - surprising, given his appearance - deadly controlled. William wouldn't have had the chance to flee, even if he'd bothered - but he didn't. Mike had him by the front of the shirt quickly, and then they were face-to-face. 

Malhare wished he had some popcorn. 

"Oh Michael," William said smoothly, nonplussed by the rough treatment, "what makes you think I've ever stopped watching you?" 

It was unnerving, and it answered questions Malhare had about how William had tracked them down in the first place - but to his surprise, Mike didn't seem upset by that. In fact, the man blinked - and then he laughed. 

Even William seemed surprised by that. 

Mike let go of William so quickly the older man had to stumble to stay on his feet. Mike brushed at the front of his clothes, then looked at William again. The change was something Malhare had never seen before - Mike's anger faded so quick it was as if it were never there. The look it left behind was bored and ice cold and for a moment, Malhare thought he was looking at twins. 

"Did you bring the rabbit?" Mike asked. William lifted an eyebrow, then held the plush rabbit up pointedly. 

"Did you bring my granddaughter?" William countered. 

"Of course not," Mike answered with another short laugh, "I know you don't think much of me, but I'm not that stupid, you know. You aren't getting anywhere near Vanessa - never again."

"You think you can stop me?" William asked, amusement coating his own voice. 

"Oh, I know I can," Mike said. He chuckled, then shook his head and lifted his arms in a shrug. "You must not have been watching me that closely,  _ dad.  _ Otherwise, you'd know the answer to that question." He lowered his hands, tilted his head, and smiled softly. "Otherwise, you would have known  _ never  _ to meet me here."

William had no chance to respond. No chance to act. No inkling of what was about to happen. They were on him suddenly, lunging from the shadows like the hell beasts they really were. Freddy had him first, but the others were close behind. Someone pulled Hopper away, tossed him across the room - and then they ripped William apart. Literally - the animatronics attacked him with decades of pent up fury bolstered by their protectiveness over their family, and tore him limb from limb. The man screamed - but it was short-lived, and cut off in a gurgling choke. Malhare wasn't sorry, but he had to admit, the carnage left behind turned his stomach. But only just a little. 

He forgot about it entirely later, though. Long after Mike had cleaned the wreckage, after he had muttered apologies to the plush rabbit for his long absence. After Malhare was finally reunited with Vanessa, who hugged his plush form close even while he hugged her tightly to him in return. 

Later, after Ness had talked herself to sleep, intent on filling Malhare in on everything that'd happened during their separation, Malhare would spend the evening watching over both of his humans. Ness slept soundly, Hopper clutched tightly in her arms, so tightly Malhare could almost feel the hug. 

What Malhare didn't expect, however, was to find Mike sleeping soundly too. In fact, when Malhare checked in on the older human, he was startled to see a soft smile on the man's face. 

It was a surprise, but Malhare found himself in agreement. He, too, felt the comfort of the knowledge that the world was now one monster lighter. 


	7. Mike

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After seven years, someone from Malhare's past comes looking for him, inadvertently revealing his secret.

Mike and Ness didn't often have visitors - and generally whatever visitors they did have were a small, select group of individuals. None of which would be ringing the doorbell in the middle of a weekday. Adrenaline spiking at the thought of facing a stranger, Mike finished drying his hands and went to answer the door. 

He'd never seen the woman standing before him in his life. She looked a decade or so younger than Mike, she was pale, and a mess of black hair was tied haphazardly back from her face. When he opened the door, she jumped slightly and clasped her hands together. 

"Hello!" She exclaimed, wringing her hands, "Mr. Afton, right?" Mike grimaced internally, though he'd long learned to keep the look off his face. No matter how many years passed of being consistently referred to by his last name, it never failed to make him uncomfortable.

"Yeah," Mike answered, "something I can help you with?" She looked taken aback by his shortness, and he could see it made her more nervous. He tried to soften at least a little - it hadn't been intentional, just the byproduct of his own nervousness. 

"Yeah, uh, yes. I'm sorry to bother you! My name is Elaine Kaplan. And I - you - oh my god I just realized how insane this is going to sound," she said, suddenly burying her face in her hands. Mike took a step back from the door. 

"Uh, look, if you're trying to sell something, I'm not interested. Same with religious stuff. If you've got a question or complaint about the Arcade, then just, you know, say it. Otherwise I'm gonna shut this door and we can just move on -" 

"Sorry! Wait! Okay. So, I'm pretty sure you purchased a stuffed rabbit a few years back." Elaine hurried forward. 

"Stuffed…Lady, my daughter collects stuffed animals. She literally has, like, twenty different stuffed rabbits. You're going to have to be a little more specific than that. You a collector or something? 'Cause I'm not giving any of them away."

"No, I'm not - this isn't going well." Elaine paused and took a breath, straightened her shoulders back, and met Mike's eyes. "Mr. Afton, approximately seven years ago, I believe you purchased a stuffed rabbit from an antique store. An off-yellow one that, from what I've seen, probably looks a lot like the stuffed Spring Bonnies you sell at your establishment. Does that sound familiar?" 

"Oh, Hopper, yeah, okay, I know the one you're talking about," Mike said. 

"Hopper?" 

"Yeah, my kid named it. She was seven years old, give her a break. What about him?" 

"Well, uh, the thing is…that rabbit. Uh, Hopper, I suppose. It - he's - well. The truth is, that rabbit is haunted," Elaine said, blurting out the last in a rush. Before Mike could respond - startled as he was - she continued. "I know how that sounds but please listen to me. I was a beta tester for the company that tried to get that Freddy's game off the ground. I'm sure you remember, given you shut it down. Just a beta tester!" She reiterated, likely because at the mention of the game, Mike had felt his face grow hard. "And honestly, it's a good thing you did, because there was something wrong with it. There was a corrupt piece of code that became…it became something real. Supernatural. In game, it looked like a human in a yellow rabbit suit. But it escaped - it got out of the game. And ended up in, well, in that stuffed rabbit. We were going to destroy it, but it can - it got into…one of us, got into our head. That person fled, sold the stuffed rabbit away - and, apparently, it ended up in that store and eventually in your hands." She let out a breath, sounding winded from the bundle of words. 

Mike stared at her. She had said a lot in a short amount of time, and now he was trying to process it. Anyone else would have shut the door in her face, probably, but Mike had long since learned a few important lessons. Ghosts were real, things could be haunted, and both of those points were especially true when Freddy's was involved. 

"I know how this must sound," Elaine continued, sounding desperate, "but I've been trying to hunt down that rabbit for years now. I'd like to take it with me, but if the answer is no - Mr. Afton you  _ must  _ destroy it. Burning it would work the best, I believe, so it wouldn't have a chance to escape."

"That's my daughter's most cherished possession," Mike said. 

"It's probably already gotten in her head," Elaine responded with urgency, "You're lucky it hasn't already taken her - or you - over completely. It's a malicious force, it's dangerous, and there's no telling how much damage it's already done."

"Look, I appreciate the warning -" 

"Mr. Afton, please -" 

"I appreciate the warning," Mike said more sternly, lifting a hand. "And I hear you. Believe me when I tell you this isn't my first rodeo. I hear you, but I'm not giving it to you. Whatever there is to deal with, I'll deal with it, myself."

Elaine sighed and watched his face for a long minute. Mike watched her shoulders fall and, surprisingly, she acquiesced. She turned to leave, pausing only to look over her shoulder at him. 

"For your daughter's sake, I really hope you do what I said. Before it's too late." With that, she turned completely and headed for her car. Mike watched her go, and watched until the car vanished around a curve. He didn't know what to think - he believed her. But then again, they'd had Hopper for nearly seven years now. Mike had never noticed anything off, and Ness seemed perfectly normal and happy. If the rabbit were possessed, and possessed by something born from _ William  _ at that, surely Mike would have noticed something before now. 

Mike shut the door and turned into the house. Goosebumps rose along his arms at the sudden thought that the house may not be as empty as it seemed. His pulse quickened - a remnant of long past nights spent fighting off bloodthirsty animatronics. It was an instinct he'd never shake, but he didn't appreciate it flaring up inside his own home. With a bracing breath, he headed for Ness's room. 

The rabbit plush affectionately known as Hopper was sitting on her bed, propped against a pillow and a mountain of other stuffed animals. Although he looked a tad worse for wear - signs of years of attention - he otherwise looked completely normal. A part of Mike wanted to do what Elaine had said - it wanted to take the plush and burn it then and there. Because it could be haunted. 

Because the thing that haunted it could have ties to a monster. 

But Mike's more reasonable side - an annoying internal voice that reminded him of Freddy - told him to wait. To investigate. Because even if that were all true, the truth was whatever inhabited the rabbit hadn't seemed to have caused any trouble. And if it were going to, especially in the ways Elaine had mentioned, wouldn't it have done so by now? 

Beyond that. While Ness would be upset at the loss of any of her belongings, Hopper was special. It was her most beloved stuffed animal, the one she still took almost everywhere with her, even at fourteen years old. And while part of Mike wondered if that was  _ because  _ of the malicious force, mostly he knew it meant he couldn't be impulsive about this. 

A particular memory sealed the deal for him. The day he'd thought Ness had been gone forever - when she'd run away, and gotten lost in the frozen cold. He remembered the way Ness had stared blankly ahead as she walked up to Mike, the way she'd collapsed shortly after. The way the doctors had said it'd been miraculous that she'd found her way - that she was so cold it was a surprise she hadn't given in to hypothermia. 

Hopper had been in her backpack, that night. And she'd clutched him extra close for weeks after that. With the weight of that night firmly on his shoulders, Mike sat on the bed, reached out, and picked the plush rabbit up. He flipped it side to side, looked it over with a close eye. It looked like a slightly off-brand Spring Bonnie plush. Nothing special. Nothing strange. Nothing supernatural. 

"Is it true?" Mike asked, "are you possessed?" He leaned back against the headboard of the bed with a sigh and sat the plushie down next to him. "Or am I just being paranoid? Ghosts might be real, but so are people with delusions." He leaned his head back and stared up at the ceiling. "It was going to be a good day, too, it felt like."

A sudden light caught in the corner of his eye and Mike pushed himself back up to look at the plush. As quickly as it'd appeared, the strange green glow faded from the plush. It'd been brief - but it'd been enough. Heart quickening, Mike picked the rabbit up again. 

"Was that real?" he asked. After a second, the plush lit up again. Mike got a better look, that time - a vibrant green glow, except for the eyes which were lit up purple instead. Mike clutched the stuffed rabbit tighter as the glow faded once again. "Fuck," He swore softly. He sat the rabbit down and got to his feet. Mike began to pace back and forth next to the bed, watching the rabbit intently. 

"So you're possessed." It lit up briefly again. "Have you hurt Ness?" It lit up again - but this time, twice in quick succession. "One for yes, two for no?" Mike asked, catching on. The rabbit lit up once in response. Mike nodded and paced even quicker. "You haven't hurt her?" He asked again. Two flashes. "Do you want to hurt her? Or me?" Two more. "Have you possessed her?" That time, it didn't flash at all. 

Mike went to the bed and picked the rabbit up in a firm and angry grip. "Have you possessed her?" He asked again. After a second, the rabbit flashed once. Yes. "Why? What do you want with her?" He demanded. The rabbit didn't respond for a second - then flashed multiple times. Mike took a breath, not that it helped much. "Are you possessing her right now?" 

No. 

"Do you possess her often?" 

Another no. 

"Did you possess her the night she got lost?" That time, the rabbit answered yes. Mike sat on the bed again with a huff. "You helped her?" Another yes. Mike swallowed hard. "Do you want to hurt her?" He asked again. And, again, the rabbit answered no. When Mike didn't ask anything further, the rabbit said no again. Then, a few seconds later, again. Insistent that Mike know it didn't want to hurt them. 

"Are you my father?" Mike asked quietly, terrified of the answer, "Are you William Afton?" The rabbit's answer was quick. 

No. 

Mike let out a big breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "That's good, then. That's a relief. That's…does Ness know about you?" 

Yes - the light bright, as if the rabbit were saying yes emphatically. Mike nodded, leaned back again, and thought some more. In the end, he set the rabbit down and got to his feet. 

"I'm going to talk to her about this," He said, "before I make any decisions. I don't know if that's the right choice, but I need to know more than yes or no answers. But don't - don't get comfortable. I'm not making any promises." The rabbit's response was a low, long glow. Mike wasn't sure what it meant, but deciding he'd had enough for the moment, he turned and left the room. 

* * *

He visited the rabbit often during the day, half expecting to find the plush moved or the ghost of it out and about. But every time he peeked in at it, the rabbit was still where he'd left it. Alone and completely innocent looking. 

It was tempting to spring the conversation on Ness as soon as she got home, but Mike held himself back. He made sure she got her after school snack, asked her about her day, and just made small talk for a while. He stopped her when she mentioned going to work on homework. 

"I've gotta ask you about something," He told her, "so I'll come with you." They went to her room together and, once there, Mike sat on the edge of her bed. Apprehensive, Ness sat at her desk chair and looked over at him with wide eyes. Mike tried to give her something of a reassuring smile. 

"He's good," Ness blurted out before Mike could even broach the subject. Startled, he blinked at her as she went on. "He's always been good. He watches out for me, gives me advice - he's like a, I dunno. Like a guardian, I guess. Please don't destroy him!" 

"I'm not…talking to him now, am I?" Mike asked, the suspicion twisting at his chest. 

"No," Ness said, shaking her head, "it's just me, dad. We have a deal - he doesn't possess me or anything like that, unless it's for my own good. He's only ever done it to help me." She paused. "You asked him earlier, about that day I ran away. I wanted to stop and sleep - so he took over. And made me keep going. He saved me. He watches out for me, I promise."

"Why did you never tell me about this, Nessie?" Mike asked. She didn't answer right away, but did grimace and lifted a hand to rub at the back of her neck. Her eyes drifted to the side, and Mike felt a twinge of irritation. 

"I'd appreciate your answer, not the one he tells you to give," Mike said, the words more snappish than he intended. He felt bad as soon as they left his mouth, but felt even worse when she flinched. 

Of course, this was Ness, so she didn't exactly stay cowed for long. 

"It will be my answer," she shot back, "but his input is helpful." They both paused for a second, and Mike forced a deep breath - a bit of humor lightened his mood when he saw Ness do the same. 

"When it first happened," Ness continued, the bite gone from her voice, "it's true that he asked me to keep him a secret. Before you say it, he wants you to know he's well aware that was a shitty move, since I was just a little kid. But he was afraid. He didn't mean to be seen by me, and he was scared you would destroy him in a heartbeat if you knew."

Well, Mike had to admit that much was probably true. Definitely true, he acquiesced after a second. 

"But it became my choice," Ness said, "I got old enough to really know what secrets were good or bad to keep. I could have told you at any time, but I chose not to. Because by then, I knew he was good. I knew he wouldn't hurt me, or you, or anyone. And  _ I  _ was afraid you'd destroy him." 

Again, Mike couldn't exactly argue with her fear. He sighed and rubbed at his forehead. Even now, his instinct was to act. To take the stuffed rabbit and throw it in the furnace and end this whole thing in one quick blow. But Ness had not  _ been  _ afraid of that - she was now, too. Mike could see it in the way she was watching him. Her eyes were wide, her breaths were quick, like she was waiting for the inevitable. 

But it was Ness. Paranoid though he might be, Mike knew it to be true. When he didn't say anything  _ \- couldn't  _ say anything - Ness slipped from her chair and walked over to him. She sat on the bed next to him, her legs hanging slightly above the floor. She reached out, took his hand, and squeezed it. 

"I know you don't trust him," she said, "and that's okay. You don't have to - but trust me, dad. Please. I promise it's okay - and I promise I'll come to you  _ immediately  _ if it's ever not." She paused, glanced away for a few seconds, then looked to him again. "He wants you to know that the only connection he has to the man you asked about earlier are some foggy memories he doesn't even understand. Also, that if he ever hurts me he'll be the first to throw himself at your mercy. That wasn't even sarcastic - and he's usually pretty sarcastic."

Mike let out a hard breath and squeezed her hand a little tighter. Then he looked out into the room, and almost immediately Ness reached up to turn his head - he assumed so he was actually looking at the spirit. 

"Alright. You can stay," Mike said, "but I know the location of a number of furnaces - if you ever try  _ anything,  _ you'll find yourself on a one-way trip."

"He says you've got a deal," Ness answered. Then, she smiled and wrapped her arms tight around Mike, tucking in close to him. "Thanks dad," she said a bit softer. With a light smile, Mike returned her embrace, resting his head on top of hers. 

"Sure thing kiddo. After all, how can I argue with someone else watching out for you?"


	8. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Malhare is alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Suicidal idealogy, Suicide, Car accidents.
> 
> (Important note, this is just a what-if type chapter! This isn't like, the canonical end to the OS collection or even canon really!)

The house was quiet. Malhare had never really realized how  _ not  _ quiet it had been, before. Neither Ness nor Mike had been particularly loud, but just the everyday sounds of their lives had kept the air full of noise and activity. Now it was dead silent, except the occasional static blip of a TV or computer monitor when Malhare got too close. Even that, however, wasn't occurring as often as it used to. Malhare thought, perhaps, he was losing his strength - somehow, the idea didn't scare him. 

The house had not yet been touched. Malhare had lost track of time, but he was surprised that Fritz had not come. Perhaps, the rabbit mused, the man was put off by his own grief. Or, and Malhare realized this was more likely, Fritz was busy being sure the animatronics were taken care of first. That would be the first place possible scalpers would hunt, no matter the will meant to assure they went to Fritz in the event of a tragedy like this. That was important -  _ they  _ were important. Far more important than a house and what was inside. 

Nevermind that inside included Malhare, too. Nevermind that Fritz knew of the rabbit's existence and hadn't yet come to so much as check on him. No, they couldn't communicate, really, but still. Was Malhare destined to be thrown away by some government official who'd come to claim the house? Although that had not yet happened, either. Instead, the house stayed empty and quiet, and Malhare roamed it like a spector. 

Ness had left him behind that day. That'd happened more often as she got older, and Malhare had never bothered her about it. It was difficult to explain to other teenagers and young adults why you were carrying around a stuffed animal, after all. He didn't like being left behind, but he understood. That evening had been a bit of an oddity, as it'd just been an outing between Mike and Ness, but Malhare hadn't thought much of it. Maybe, he'd assumed, they'd just wanted some father-daughter time without the knowledge of an ever-eavesdropping ghost nearby. 

But they hadn't come back. They hadn't come home, and Malhare had grown alarmed. Then, he'd felt something that told him everything he needed to know. Even at a distance, there had been a tether between himself and Ness - it was an ever-present connection that had only grown stronger through the years. When he felt that tether snap that evening, so suddenly he was forced to collapse back into the plush rabbit body, he'd known. He didn't know what had happened, but he knew Ness had not survived it. 

He'd found the news story later, through the internet. A car accident. Two fatalities. As it turned out, neither Afton had survived. Malhare had never hated his limited body so much as he did then. He'd wanted to scream, and cry, and flail out against the world. He wanted to break things, but all he could manage was making the screens of a few electronics burst. It wasn't near enough for the turmoil and physical  _ pain  _ that'd filled every number of his code. 

Despite it all, time ticked on. Sometimes it felt like it dragged, other times it rushed - but either way, regardless of how much Malhare  _ hurt,  _ the world moved on along as if nothing had happened. As if someone hadn't just lost every facet of their world and had been left entirely and utterly alone. When he wasn't lost in rage or sorrow, he was out of his mind with boredom - he didn't know what to do. He considered using one of their computers to push himself back into the virtual space, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. 

Who would watch over their home, if Malhare left it too? 

Malhare was sitting in his usual spot - the window seat of Ness's room - when he heard the sound of the front door opening. He had the brief thought that he should go and see who was there - that all his excuses about watching the house meant nothing if he didn't actually  _ watch.  _ The thought passed quickly, though, and he stayed where he was. Energy was a precious thing, those days, and if he were honest, he just didn't much care. 

"Hopper?" Malhare looked over at the name, and was only a little surprised to see Fritz standing in the doorway of Ness's room. The other man had certainly seen better days - his eyes were heavily shadowed, and the whites of them were red, as if he'd just finished crying or, perhaps, had only just started. Standing there in the doorway, he lifted a hand and laid it against his own throat. Malhare could see his hands shaking. 

"I'm sorry," Fritz continued, his voice breaking slightly as he spoke. He walked further into the room with slow, uncertain steps. At that, Malhare sighed lightly and let his tether to the world slip looser, sending him into the body of the rabbit plush - which still sat on Ness's bed, exactly where she'd last left it. "I'm sorry," Fritz went on, "that I didn't come sooner. Things got, you know, messy. But I think they're settled now. I hope. Georgie thinks they are. Sorry. I'm, uh, I'm rambling, huh?" 

"You've always been one to ramble," Malhare pointed out. Fritz didn't respond to that, of course, because he couldn't hear it. Instead, the human sat on the edge of the bed and let his head hang as he looked down at the rabbit in his hands. "Did you come here alone?" Malhare asked, still to no reply, "Shouldn't you have your husband here for comfort?" 

"Are you still here? Or did you go too?" Fritz asked instead. Malhare let out a brief and frustrated snort - he missed the easy conversation with Ness. Even her translating for him was better than this, he felt like he was back at square one. 

He missed - at the stab of fresh pain, Malhare's plush body gave a brief glow, the light playing off of Fritz's face. The human frowned slightly, and Malhare would have been offended at the way Fritz scratched at the rabbit's head with a finger. Would have - if the contact didn't feel so nice. 

"I really am sorry I didn't come sooner," Fritz said, his voice quiet, even in the silence of the home. "So. Mike, he, uh, he left this place to me. But I don't think I can - I can't, you know, I just can't do anything with it. Not yet. I'll be sure it stays well-kept, but otherwise I think I'm gonna just, uh, just leave it. As is. So. You can stay, if you want. Or, I can take you to the Arcade, if you'd rather. Or even…I explained everything to Georgie. He said you could come to our house, if you wanted. If you wanted to be by people. Or…or need to, you know. So. What do you think?"

Malhare let his body flash as he thought it over, something clutching painfully at the sudden choice in front of him. What  _ did  _ he want? How was he supposed to choose? He'd spent thirteen years - really the majority of his sentient life - going where Ness went. Or else staying in the house. Even before that, he'd been stuck in a virtual world, and then the body of a plush rabbit toy. He'd never had to make a choice like this before. He didn't know which was the right one. 

"Sorry," Fritz interrupted Malhare's thoughts, "I guess you can't tell me specifically, huh? Um…I'll go through the options. Give me one flash for no and two for yes. Okay?" In response, Malhare let off two obvious flashes, and Fritz nodded in return. 

"Do you want me to bring you to my home?" That was an easy no - Malhare didn't want to intrude. He liked Fritz and Georgie well enough, but he also had no interest in sharing in their consciousness. Maybe he'd siphon a tiny bit, just to be able to speak with Fritz more appropriately. But he didn't want to get anywhere near the connection he'd had with Ness. 

"Okay. How about the Arcade, then?" That one was harder, and Malhare didn't respond for a long minute. The Arcade wouldn't be so bad. It would probably take little effort to get himself in a position to be able to talk to the animatronics - the only reason he hadn't done so before was because they seemed weary of his existence. But if he could gain their trust, he'd have a whole slew of companions - all of whom would be grieving the humans just as much as Malhare was. 

Malhare surprised himself when he ended up answering no. Somehow, though, Fritz looked less surprised. 

"Do you want to stay here, then?" Malhare answered yes, faster than he expected to. As soon as he had, though, he knew it was the right choice. This had been his home for so long - he couldn't just leave it behind. Fritz had promised to watch over the house, but he didn't know it like Malhare did. Besides that, the idea of leaving it made the rabbit feel anxious. He couldn't quite put words to it, but he knew it wouldn't let him leave. If he left, something bad would happen. He was sure of it. 

"Okay," Fritz agreed, gently setting the plush rabbit back onto the bed. "It's your choice. I'll come and see you, okay? So if you ever change your mind you just, um, just let me know. I'll take you anywhere you want to go." He paused, and when he spoke again his voice cracked. "Ness would want to know you're okay."

Malhare wasn't okay. He didn't feel okay, and hadn't since the moment that tether had snapped. But he gave a soft affirmative anyway. With a jerky nod, Fritz got to his feet. He was jittery - bouncing slightly on his feet while he picked at his hands. His eyes were growing freshly red, and suddenly it was as if he didn't want to look at anything in the room. 

"You should go," Malhare said, uncertain why he was still talking to the human who couldn't hear him. 

"I'm gonna go," Fritz said anyway, his voice unsteady again, "I've gotta - I'm sorry. I'll be back, okay? I'm sorry, Hopper." And, with that, he was gone, and Malhare was alone again. It didn't feel so bad, that time. It had been his choice, after all. 

Time went back to passing. Malhare picked up a few small hobbies - he could watch television and internet videos. When that got boring, he could watch people - they still moved around in the world outside. Fritz returned, on occasion, and they realized they could play a really riveting game of chess using the computer. It even gave Malhare a way to talk to Fritz, through text - though their conversations were simple and banal. Fritz even offered to take Malhare out a few times, to get some 'fresh air' and get out of the house for a while. 

Malhare always refused. When Fritz got up the gumption to ask why, Malhare's response was a simple shrug emoji. They'd moved on to other topics after that. 

Malhare wasn't sure how much time had passed when it began to happen. A long time, he was pretty sure - over a year, maybe even longer. It was small things, at first - the TV stopped listening to him, it took a little more effort to get the computer to function. It seemed to spiral quickly, though - barely a week passed between Malhare first realizing something was wrong, and the sudden realization that he couldn't leave the plush body at all any longer. 

After that, things changed quickly. He began to flow in and out of consciousness, not even realizing he had gone away until he was suddenly aware of himself again. The times in between became longer and longer - and the times when he was aware became shorter in return. He knew exactly what was happening - he was losing energy. Power. Juice. Whatever he wanted to call it. Without a human soul to anchor him or, barring that, a virtual world to keep him supplied,  _ he  _ was dying. It would be an easy fix. He'd just let Fritz know to take him home - he'd siphon from the two humans, just enough to get back to his usual self. Or else, he could use what little energy he had left to push himself into the virtual space, where he'd be safe for as long as he wanted to hang around. It would be easy enough. 

Nevertheless, he did neither of those things. Even at his most lucid, even as he sat and watched the beautiful world outside, he wasn't sure of the point any longer. Really, when he thought about it, Malhare had never really been meant to  _ be,  _ anyway. So, in the end, without any fuss at all, the final member of the Afton household allowed himself to simply drift away. 


	9. Cattrap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ness has found a new job, and Malhare isn't particularly thrilled. He's even less so when they discover an animatronic lurking there.
> 
> Then again, this one isn't like any animatronic they've ever met.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an AU in which Spring Bonnie isn't fixed up and living with the others, so Ness has never met him.
> 
> Also, the concept for 'Cattrap' belongs to DragonQueenTessa, and I thank them for letting me borrow him. ♥

"You should have told your dad about this."

"He would have done whatever he could to stop me."

"Maybe he has a good reason for that, kid."

Ness didn't argue with that, just took a deep breath, and looked up at the blinking sign above. She heard Malhare sigh softly himself as he crossed his arms. Ness could feel his petulance drifting through their connection, but his anxiety was even more keen. When Ness had been young, their connection had been more unidirectional. As she got older, though, and their connection stronger, she'd begun to pick up on the rabbit's moods as surely as her own. Now, at twenty-five years old, it was any guess who's emotions were actually fueling their shared actions. 

Malhare wasn't wrong, either. The sign on the strange, plain looking building appeared broken and glitchy - but it was just how it was made to look. The entire creation was, in fact, brand new - they'd only finished building it about a week prior, and decorating it only a day or two ago. Ness was begrudgingly surprised at their attention to detail - it sure was Freddy on the sign, glaring down at any who dared approach his domain. 'Fazbear's Fright' read the blinking, neon sign below him. 

It was a soon-to-open horror attraction based on the very worst of the Fazbear Entertainment rumors - ones that had long been put to rest, until this place had been built. It'd been built in Connecticut, two-thousand miles away from home. It was the only one of its kind, and all of that was the reason it had easily flown under her father's radar. It'd been Malhare who had found it at all, in fact - he'd stumbled upon the listing during a particularly bored internet surf. He'd brought it to Ness's attention, probably assuming she'd bring it to Mike's and the man would deal with it. 

Malhare had been more than a little agitated when Ness had applied for the job, instead. She'd gotten it, fairly easily, and had flown out to Connecticut under the guise of a long vacation. She didn't actually intend to stay long - she just wanted to see what it was about. Do a little digging. Then, she'd go home and tell her dad all about it and let him deal with the copyright. 

"Ready?" Ness asked, looking over towards Malhare. The look the rabbit gave her was unamused - his face wasn't capable of any sort of expression, but his ears told her everything she needed to know. "It's going to be fine," she told him, trying to keep the humor out of her voice. The soft, grumbling hum in her mind told her she hadn't managed it. 

"No, but let's go so you can get your fill. The sooner we leave the place, the better."

* * *

Ness was disappointed, to say the least. As she spun around in her roller chair for the tenth or so time, she let out a bored sigh. The inside of the attraction was interesting, she supposed - it was full of dark hallways and badly faked childrens' drawings and a few old machines and animatronic parts Ness thought  _ might  _ be authentic. The only thing of any real interest was the tapes - old, authentic things, all talking about springlock suits. Which was, in Ness's opinion, an idea that was both absolutely fascinating and completely terrifying. How could something like that work without risk? 

Her interest in the topic was as brief as the recorded phone call, though. Boredom settled in not long after, and as she stared at the time ticking slowly by, Ness was filled with regret. 

"I did say you should just tell your dad," Malhare chimed in at one point. Ness stuck her tongue out at him in return. 

It was somewhere around three in the morning when Ness finally got bored enough to fish Malhare's plush body - Hopper - out of the pack she kept slung around her waist. Humming softly to herself, she made the rabbit bounce along the desk, even pretended as though it kicked out and knocked one of the bobble heads down. Malhare's clear annoyance only bolstered her amusement. 

"Would you knock that off?" He finally asked, "you're making my feet tingle."

"Sorry Hops, gotta find enjoyment where you can," Ness said, grabbing the plush rabbit by the feet and making it tap dance. Malhare was reaching out to snatch it away when a sudden, metallic  _ bang  _ rang out through the office. They both froze in place and looked at each other, Ness's eyes going wide. Slowly, she turned her chair and reached out to tap the light for the vent. 

A wide pair of dull green eyes shone back at them. The second Ness realized they were attached to an animatronic, she let out a scream. She tried to push away so violently that when the chair caught on the ground instead, it sent her tumbling back to the floor. Ness heard Malhare shout her name in alarm, even as she quickly kicked the chair off of her legs and crawled away. 

"Hey! Hey, put that down!" Malhare's alarm continued, and only that - plus some distance - convinced Ness to finally turn and look. The sight she was met with froze her in place. 

The animatronic had crawled into the room with them. In the dingy light, Ness could see that he was a rabbit. He didn't much remind her of Bonnie, though - he was built differently. A rounder face, a more slender body - even the way his one good ear sat was different. His shell - what remained of it, seeing as it was full of holes - was a stained and faded yellow color. Metal and wires and something less identifiable stuck out of the holes in his shell, and his lower legs were gone entirely, leaving only endoskeleton. His appearance was startling and terrifying, but that wasn't what had stunned Ness. 

The rabbit was on his belly, some of his lower half still in the vent, and he was batting Malhare's stuffed rabbit body in between its hands. He wasn't looking at Ness, but was staring, enthralled, at the plush, watching the toy's every movement. The animatronic's eyes had gone wide and glinted brightly, even in the dull light. He hit the plush especially hard, causing it to bounce away. It didn't get far, because with a groan of metal, the animatronic  _ lunged  _ forward, and pinned the plush to the ground with both hands. 

A whir of metal sounded from their body and, fitting with its behavior, Ness was reminded strongly of a cat's purr. 

"Ness, he's gonna rip it apart or something!" Malhare all but whined, and even though his voice was petulant, Ness could feel his very real anxiety lingering beneath the surface. For good reason - no matter the apparent playful nature of this strange animatronic, it was still an animatronic. Malhare's body was in danger. 

"Ex-excuse me," Ness said, scooting herself just a slight bit closer. Immediately, the rabbit's head shot up, and his eyes locked on the woman. Ness paused where she was, and waited, barely breathing. When the rabbit didn't attack, Ness shifted a little closer still. "Um, that's important," she continued, "could I have it back, please?" 

Broken eyelids shuddered down into place as the rabbit narrowed his eyes at Ness. He looked back down at the plush, and then to both Ness's and Malhare's horror, the rabbit lowered his mouth and carefully took the plush rabbit within his teeth. Then, he began to turn his massive body back for the vent. 

"Wait!" Ness exclaimed, quickly scrambling to her feet, "please! Don't -" 

A vicious-sounding, whirring grumble from the rabbit cut Ness off. He glanced over his shoulder, repeated the sound, and then began to crawl away. Taking Hopper with him. Ness took an experimental step forward, but stopped when the movement brought another growl from the massive animatronic. Ness and Malhare both watched as the animatronic vanished down the vent, leaving quiet behind as they both tried to figure out what to do next. 

"If he destroys it, I'm not entirely sure what'll happen," Malhare said after a bit, "and honestly, I don't really  _ want  _ to know. You know we gotta get it back, right?" 

"I know," Ness agreed, "the question is how."

* * *

"Here, bunny bunny bunny," Ness called as she walked slowly down the hall, "here bun - come and see the toy I've got for you!" 

"Here's hoping he doesn't think the new toy is you," Malhare grumbled. Ness shot him a look, and felt the unique sensation of the rabbit rolling his eyes in return. In the end, they'd decided on a plan that Ness could admit was weak at best. They'd used a few of the old animatronic bits - a long piece of metal, some wire, a mask - to create something like a cat's feather toy. 

Ness hoped that she could use it to distract the rabbit and, hopefully, slip Hopper away from him. First, though, they had to find the animatronic. Which, as it turned out, was far easier said than done. The building wasn't all that big and, yet, even after scouring every room they could find, there was no sign of the rabbit animatronic. 

Wondering how an animatronic could just vanish like that, Ness turned the corner back into the office. Looking up, she found herself freezing in place once more - she'd found the animatronic, though how he'd manage to sneak around them and end up back in the office was anyone's guess. 

How he'd managed to squish himself into the chair was an even bigger mystery. Yet there he was - curled up, catlike, in the chair. One arm was hanging over one side of the chair, and as Ness entered the office, the animatronic's eyes shifted to look at her. The plush rabbit was securely tucked in the crook of his other arm, practically snuggled up under his chin. 

"Hey buddy bun," Ness said, slowly continuing her walk into the office. "Look what I've got for you." She lifted the makeshift feather toy and made the mask at its end bounce. As she'd hoped, the rabbit looked at it immediately. Ness didn't expect the dilapidated eyes to actually dilate, though. Nor did she expect the animatronic to obviously tense - just like a cat getting ready to pounce. With a bracing breath, Ness made the mask bounce again. 

The rabbit launched himself with a cacophony of sound - his sudden movement sending the chair crashing away from him. With a soft yelp, Ness tossed the toy behind her and threw herself out of the way. Wind  _ wooshed _ through her hair from the force of the animatronic running past her. He chased the toy, and Ness winced at the obvious sound of the rabbit colliding with the wall in the haste of his chase. The plan worked, though - Malhare's plush body was lying on the floor, forgotten entirely for the sake of a new toy. 

Ness hurried over to it, picked it up, and hastily stuffed it back into her waist pack. She and Malhare sighed in unison in relief at the stuffed body's security. It was short-lived, however, as Ness turned to find the rabbit sitting right behind her. 

The animatronic  _ was  _ basically sitting, too. He was crouched, hands resting between his feet, his hind end hovering just above the floor. He was staring up at Ness, the makeshift toy held firmly in his teeth. They watched each other for a long heartbeat, and then the rabbit opened his maw and dropped the toy. It fell to the ground with a clatter, and Ness continued to wait, uncertain what, exactly, the rabbit was doing. Then, the rabbit reached out with a finger and pushed the toy closer to Ness. 

"Careful," Malhare warned, and Ness nodded slightly to let him know she'd heard. Slowly, eyes never leaving the animatronic, Ness crouched down and reached for the toy. The animatronic watched her all along, eyes following her every movement. When Ness stood back up, the toy firmly in hand, the animatronic went tense again. In a fit of inspiration, Ness whipped the toy out of the office. Immediately, the rabbit spun and leapt after it. 

It was slightly less surprising when he brought the toy to Ness again. 

They played fetch for a while as the night continued to tick on. Ness was pretty sure the rabbit could have played forever, but eventually her own arm grew heavy and tired. She pulled the chair to her and sat, and the rabbit seemed to understand. The next time he brought the toy back, he dropped it in the doorway, and plodded over to Ness without it. With another mechanical purr-like whir, the animatronic tested his chin on Ness's knee. If she were honest, it was unnerving - up close, there was a moldy stink to the rabbit, and seeing his rot up close was not exactly comforting. Regardless, Ness laid her hand on top of his head and scratched - the purr he gave in response was worth it. 

"You're still gonna have to tell you dad about this sooner or later," Malhare said as the clock finally hit six am. Ness leaned back in her chair to look at him, still idly scratching at the animatronic's ear. 

"I know," she agreed, "but we can come back another couple of days, can't we? Lookit him - how can you say no to this face?" She grinned at Malhare's exaggerated sigh. 

"Yeah, yeah, alright. But we'd better invest in some real cat toys."

The rabbit animatronic let out another happy-sounding purr. 


End file.
